Achtung Baby! You never know who that hitchhiker might be

03/06/2011

Notoriously benevolent singer Bono rewarded NHL pro Gilbert Brule and his girlfriend free tickets to a U2 show in Canada earlier this week after they stopped to pick him up in the rain.

According to the NME, the bizarre incident took place when the singer and his assistant had been left stranded in the rain near the West Vancouver Yacht Club after going for a walk. Gilbert Brule- who plays for The Edmonton Oilers –and his girlfriend Kesley Nichols happened to be driving past at the time and ended up offering to give them a lift. At first though, Nichols was sceptical; she told the Edmonton Journal: ‘I didn’t want to stop, but they waved and G [Brule] yelled ‘that’s Bono. I didn’t believe him so I kept driving’.

The ice hockey pro managed to talk her round and there was soon a happy ending for all involved. Bono publically declared his gratitude at the concert at the Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium on June 1st. He told the crowd: ‘I like ice hockey because people who play ice hockey are the kind of people who pick up hitchhikers. I’m ever so grateful. I’ve decided that I want to be Gilbert Brule.’

Never one to overegg the pudding, Bono also bestowed Brule and Nichols with backstage passes signed with the messages ‘Thanks for the ride’ and ‘My hero Gilbert’.